Actually Amon
by Reepaz
Summary: What if Amon's story about living on a farm in the Fire Nation were true? Reviews are welcomed and encouraged.
1. Introduction

"When I was a boy, my family and I lived on a small farm. We weren't rich, and none of us were benders. This made us very easy targets for the firebender who extorted my father. One day, my father confronted this man, but when he did, that firebender took my family from me. Then, he took my face. I've been forced to hide behind a mask ever since." - Amon

It was a hot summers day in the Fire Nation, class wasn't in session, but this didn't mean that Amon was able to sit in and relax, or even play outside with his friends like a typical fourteen year old boy. Amon had to be up bright and early, along with the rest of his family in order to work on the farm which grew many of the fruits and vegetables that were popular cuisine in the Fire Nation. Amon didn't enjoy getting up early and working in the farm most of the day, but always knew no matter how hard he had it, it was harder for his father, Maro, who was always the first one on the farm everyday and the last one inside. Not to mention it was important for them to get as much work as possible done so that they could eat and also afford the things they needed. Amon's mother, Nima, didn't work on the farm, but instead did the house work and cooked the meals for the family. However, Amon and his father didn't work the farm alone, although sometimes Amon thought it would be better that way, because his eleven year old brother Elan also helped out on the farm, even though sometimes, at least to Amon, he got in the way more than he helped.

As Amon and his brother and father were working on the farm, watering the crops as well as checking to see if others were ready to be picked, a man entered the yard and started walking straight to his father, Amon had seen this man talk to his father before, several times actually, but he wasn't sure what exactly they said to each other, or what he even came to visit about, but this time he was going to find out. He walked away from the crops he was looking at and started to examine some other crops, these were (conveniently) located right near where his father and the man were about to talk. Amon didn't notice at first but the man wore a red shirt with the Fire Nation insignia on it, as well a pair of common red Fire Nation pants and shoes. The man began speaking to his father and Amon listened very closely and, to his delight, could hear what was being said. The man said "Hello, Maro. It's that time of the month again." Maro looked at him "Lee, I barely have enough money to feed my children and wife, how can you keep expecting me to pay you like this?" The man, who Amon now knew was named Lee replied "I don't care what you have to do to get me the money, I just know you better get it to me." Neither man spoke as they just stared at each other for a few seconds when Lee spoke again "We know how uncontrollable fire is Maro," Lee held some fire in his hands "We wouldn't want anything to happen to your crops." At that very moment, Amon realized what had been happening for all this time, the man had been threatening to burn down the farm, his families only source of livelihood, just to extort them out of money they didn't even have to give. Amon could see his father pull out some money, handing it to the man, who he now knew was a total asshole and say "Here Lee, this is all I have to give right now, leave me and my family alone." Lee smirked and said "I'm glad you've come to your senses," as he walked away.


	2. TakeOver

I walked over to my father and asked him "Father, what did that man want?" He looked at me "It's not important Amon," he said. Then I looked at him for a few seconds "Father, I heard what happened, why do you let that man take from us?" I asked, I didn't understand yet that the man had a power that no one in my family possessed, firebending, this caused my father to sigh as he said "Amon, we need to sit and talk." I nodded as my father yelled to Elan "Elan! Take a break!" Elan smiled and nodded as he ran in the house, I liked this because I didn't think my brother even needed to be on the farm, at that age he wasn't much help anyway. Once my brother had entered the house, he probably told mom what happened, me and my father walked towards the house and sat on the porch to discuss what had just happened.

My father looked at me, his face covered in defeat, after a long silence he began to speak "Amon, that man you saw, he is a firebender. You know what that means, right?" I nodded, of course I knew what a firebender was, most of my classmates were firebenders, most of the people I walked by on the street everyday were firebenders, but I didn't understand why this meant my father was giving this man money for nothing, money that my family needed in order to survive. He began to explain the man to me more "He is not a nice man Amon, he threatens our farm, our home and our livelihood with his fire, you know that we are not firebenders, so how can I stand up to him?" As my father spoke these words, I saw the greatest look of defeat, even more than the one he had before, take over his face, it was at this very moment that I knew, bending is evil.

I looked at my father "Father, we can stop him together," I told him. "No!" He exclaimed at me, with a serious and stern tone. "I am not going to put you in danger," he said. "But father, we are in danger by giving this man our hard earned money, money we need to survive, we're barely making it father." I protested. My father sighed, because he knew I was right, but he still refused to let me help, I understand why, now.

My father got up and went inside, and I followed behind him "Wait father!" I exclaimed, I didn't know what else to say, but I refused to take no for an answer, I just wanted to help, in anyway that I could. That was my job. Right? My father stopped and looked at me "Amon, I am not going to put you, Elan and your mother in danger over this!" Now he was actually yelling, I had made him mad, I understand why, but I just wanted to help out, I didn't want to do all the work that I did to be poor, but even more then that, I didn't want to have to watch my father do all the work he did for us all, just to barely be able to afford food for us. My father was not going to hear any of it, and I knew that. He told me to go up to my room and that I was done work for the day, and that very day, in my room, was when I decided I would take things into my own hands. That is the worst decision I have ever made.


	3. Amon is Deprived

I awoke the next morning and looked out my window to see, just as always, father was already outside working on the farm, I hated seeing him out there working alone, but even more now, I just couldn't help thinking about that man, and how he was stealing the money my father worked so hard for every day. With this in mind I quickly got dressed and walked out of my room to help my father on the farm, however my mom, being the mother that she was, stopped me and told me I was to have some breakfast before I went out, then she made me some quick breakfast, with everything else that happened that day, I can't really remember what it was I ate, but I know as soon as I finished eating I gave my mother a hug and immediately went outside to help my father. I remember feeling so bitter knowing, for the first time, that me and my father were doing all of this work, but we wouldn't be getting the full benefits of it. I don't tell everyone this, but, for the last time in my life, I actually cried, no one saw though, I'm still glad about that.

Me and my father just did our normal routine on the farm for most of that morning, until, if you can believe, that firebending asshole, Lee came back, I don't know how often he used to come before, but I know it wasn't everyday, my father had just paid him the day before, paid him money which he didn't even deserve, he gave him all the money he had in his pocket to protect us, why was he back already? I wanted to know, so just like the day before I walked closer to my father and listened to what happened.

He said to my father "Maro, what you gave me yesterday isn't enough to cover the very rare dragon tooth necklace I have been looking at, I'm here to collect the rest." Hearing this infuriated me, I couldn't believe this man really would steal money from my father, money we needed just to buy basic needs, to buy a luxury necklace for himself. My father told him "I have you all the money I had yesterday Lee, I don't have anything else to give you." Lee shook his head "I don't care, I'm getting that necklace, you're going to give me the money for it and I don't care how you get it," he said, with his usual arrogant tone This was too much for me, I began to walk over to them, and my father must have seen it, because he put his hand up to signal me to stop, but I didn't do it. When my father put up his hand the man looked behind him to see me coming and he said "Go mind your business boy, the men are talking." At this point I didn't care what anyone had to say, I continued walking to him, with a hidden balled fist, and I punched him right on the tip of his nose, I remember how great it felt, sending the bone in his nose caving into his face, and although it felt so good, it may be the worse mistake I made in my life.

I remember how wide my fathers eyes got when he saw that assholes nose cave into his face, but, unfortunately, I also remember what happened next. The man, who obviously had some size on me, pushed me, and I fell on my ass, then he looked at my father and screamed "Maro! You better have so much money! RIGHT NOW!" My father looked at him and told him yet again "I don't have anything to give you Lee." This is when I stood back up and said "Stop threatening my family, right now!" The man looked at me and then back at my father. After looking at my father for some time he looked back at me and smirked. "Fine, I will never threaten your family again."

It was at that very moment that he began to burn the farm that we all stood around, my heart dropped, I realized it was completely my fault, it was my fault that me and my family would have to start over, we would have nothing at all to eat for who knew how long, this was the very last time I had ever felt fear in my entire life. After the farm was completely burned down, me and my father looked at the man, my father kept a straight face, he must not have wanted to show his emotions to the asshole, but I was so sure as soon as he left there would be the same look of defeat on my father's face that was there yesterday, I was wrong.

The man took both of his hands, quickly and swiftly aiming them both at my father and fire began streaming out of both of his hands, they both hit my father and he instantly burnt to a crisp, the screams will always haunt me. I know my mother and brother had to have heard the screams inside the house, I don't know what they were doing, maybe the were scared and hid inside, it didn't help them, the man knew that my father had two kids and a wife. I didn't care that the man was still there my reaction was to fall on my knees, right next to my father and just stare at the burnt black corpse that laid before me, however, I wasn't able to do this for very long, because the man grabbed me by my arm and pulled me up, then he placed the other hand on my face and must have made a fireball at my face right there, it made me fall instantly, I was in so much pain I couldn't move, but it must have been obvious that I was alive, I don't know why he didn't kill me. I fell facing my house and the next thing I saw the man walked over to my house and aimed both of his hands at it, then he did the same thing he did to my father to the house, it burnt down right before my very eyes. I wanted to cry, but the heat on my face didn't allow me to create the tears. I knew, as the house collapsed in front of my eyes there was no way my brother or mother survived. The man walked away and forced me to live. Some people would say he let me live, but I don't take it as a privilege.


	4. Stranger

I had slipped into unconsciousness after everything that happened. I remember waking up, still facing the remnants of my house, in the cold, dark night, I could see the moon shining just above where my house used to be. I had to have been unconscious for at least twelve to fifteen hours, and even after all that time everything still hurt, inside and out. Despite the pain I could not bare to lay in the ashy burnt down field that was around me, with what little strength I had left, I forced myself to get up and I began walking, I only had one location in mind, and that was away.

It wasn't long before I was in the center of the town, once I got there I just walked over to a building and slumped down against the wall. I couldn't stand anymore and I was in more pain than when I left the farm, but it didn't matter, I was happy to not be near there, to not see what had happened, what I had caused. It was so late that all the shops were closed and no one was to be seen anywhere, I remember thinking everyone must be in their houses with their family, the two things that I desperately wanted and needed at the very moment, but subsequently couldn't have.

I was so tired from the walking that I, yet again, fell asleep in the very place I laid, of course this time it was against the wall of that building in the town. However this time I didn't sleep as long as before, because once morning came the town got busy, and the commotion woke me up. Once I woke up I stood up and began to look around at everyone, I didn't know why, but most everyone there was looking back at me. Why would they be looking at me instead of the many other things that were going on the town center? The answer is quite simply the very same reason that I wear this mask, but I didn't know it at the time.

After a few minutes of standing against the wall, just to actually be fully awake, I left the wall and began walking, I didn't have anywhere to go, and I didn't know where to go. I thought maybe the reason people were staring at me was because I was standing still against that wall, maybe they thought I was a delinquent. I quickly realized this was not the reason, because even when I was walking with the crowd I was getting many more looks than I normally would, and it was very clear that people were looking at me more than anyone, or anything else. After cluelessly walking around the town for some time I was stopped by some women I had never met. I was walking on the right side and she was standing outside of what I later learned was her home, when she grabbed me by the arm and I remember her saying "Oh my Avatar boy, are you okay?"

When she grabbed me I stopped walking, I didn't know why she was asking me this. How could she possibly have known what happened to me the day before? I asked her "What do you mean?" She looked at me and I could tell she quickly realized I had no idea what was going on "Please, come inside," she said to me. I knew I was going to need someone if I was going to survive, and I didn't have family, so without even thinking about the cons of the situation I nodded in agreement and the woman led me inside of her house.

Once inside the house the woman led me to her living area and invited me to sit on her couch, I accepted the offer, then she sat down in her chair "Has something bad happened to you recently?" She asked. I didn't know how she knew, but I desperately needed someone, so I nodded "What is it?" She asked me, she actually seemed like she was genuinely concerned "Well, um, my family's farm..." I paused, as much as I wanted someone to be there, I couldn't stand living that moment again "Are you lost?" She asked me, I shook my head, but did not speak. The woman looked at me confused "What's the matter than?" She asked me. I felt like I wanted to cry, but for some reason, no tears would come out. I decided that I needed to tell this woman that I was alone, but I couldn't tell her what happened, that would've raised more questions anyway, so I told her "My parents left me yesterday." She looked at me with what appeared to be actual concern "Where did they go?" She asked me. I thought about it for a second and decided I didn't want to lie to her, but I couldn't tell her what happened so I told her "I don't know where they went, but I know they're far away."


	5. Mask

I'm not sure if the woman had any idea what I was talking about, but maybe she did catch on to what I was saying because she instantly dropped the subject when I said this and asked me "Is your family the ones who burned you?" I didn't know how she knew I was burned but I shook my head "Well then who burned you?" She asked me, I actually spoke words to her this time "A man came to my family's farm and attacked me, a firebender," I told her. As these words came from mouth I could see the horrible look of realization cover this woman's face, she must have known exactly what had happened now "Do you know what the mans name was?" She asked, it appeared that she had so many things going through her mind at the moment, things that weren't there before, I nodded "Yes, but all I know is that his name is Lee," I told her. She asked me if I had a place to stay, I shook my head because I had no family anywhere, I was working on the farm with my father for most of my time, so I didn't have any friends to live with either. She looked at me, with a face full of compassion and asked me what I didn't in my wildest dreams expect to hear "Would you like to stay with me?" I looked up at her and nodded.

She said "That's great dear. Now, what is your name?" I told her what my name was and then she went on to tell me that she wanted a son before, but never had one, then she brought out a collection of masks and explained to me that she was a master mask crafter, the masks that she showed me were amazing. After she went back and put the masks where they belonged she came back and sat across from me again, I had a question I was dying to ask her so I did "How did you know I was burned?" I asked her, She looked at me and sighed "Well... I'll be right back." She left the room and then came back with a small hand mirror and handed it to me, I took the mirror and looked into and at this moment I realized that the man not only took my family and my house, but he also took my face.

I looked at myself into the mirror with horror and I handed the mirror back to her, she took it, but she looked very upset, I could tell that we already had a connection in the small amount of time that I had been there "It's alright sweetie," she told me, and I wiped the look of horror of my face, for her sake. We sat in silence for a couple of minutes and then an idea came to me "Excuse me ma'am." I said and she replied with "Yes?" I continued "Do you think that you could make a mask for me?" She smiled and said "Yes Amon, I would love to make you a mask."

She walked away into a room, a room that you could clearly see was her workshop, it must have been where she made all of her masks. I had no idea what to expect, the other masks she showed me were magnificent, but I didn't expect her to make such a skillful peace of art for me, a boy she had just met who showed up on her doorstep. While she worked I just sat there and waited, I wasn't sure what to do, I rarely had free time in my old life, I was always either in class, or doing work for class or helping on the farm, but here I had nothing to do, and honestly, it just felt wrong. I wanted to get up and find something to do, not only for myself but to help this kind woman out for everything she was and was going to do for me, but I didn't want to snoop around the house while she was busy, so I just sat and waited.

When the door opened, not too long after it shut to be perfectly honest, I saw the woman come out with a wooden board in her hands, and over the wooden board there was a wooden top covering it, I was sure the mask that she had made for me must be under it, I was excited, I hadn't even thought about or cared what the mask was going to look like. The mask was so important to me for two reasons, the first was obvious, it would cover all the scars that were left on me, but the second reason was that it was going to be a gift, from the kindest person I had ever met in my entire life, a person that actually made me look forward to what was going to happen in life, something I thought I wouldn't be able to feel again.

She placed the wooden board onto my lap and told me to removed the cover, I reached my hands out and placed them on each side of the wooden lid and slowly rose it off, despite my anticipation for what was under it. When the lid was completely off I sat it next to me then I stared at the newly created mask, my mask. The design wasn't complicated, but it was perfect, I couldn't imagine a better design for me. "Well what are you waiting for?" She asked and then told me to put it on, she could probably tell how much I liked it, because the expression on my face surely was a dead giveaway. Without any hesitation I grabbed the mask and slowly put it onto my face, to my surprise, but I assume not hers, it was a perfect fit, the smile I had before was still glued to my face, however now hidden behind the mask. I know she knew I was still smiling even with the mask on, she had seen me smiling before I put it on, however, she was the last person to ever see me smile.


End file.
